MP: You are just a watchdog in scam probe, court tells SIT

The Madhya Pradesh high court on Wednesday reminded the special investigation team (SIT) it was a mere watchdog in the PEB scam probe and sought an explanation over its head’s proposed visit to Delhi for “certain investigations”.

bhopalUpdated: Mar 04, 2015 22:33 IST

HT Correspondent Hindustan Times

The Madhya Pradesh high court on Wednesday reminded the special investigation team (SIT) it was a mere watchdog in the PEB scam probe and sought an explanation over its head’s proposed visit to Delhi for “certain investigations”.

A division bench led by chief justice AM Khanwilkar, which was hearing a suo moto petition, asked the SIT to file its reply in a sealed cover within a week, said additional advocate general PK Kaurav.

The SIT was appointed by the high court in November, 2014 to monitor the probe into the scam by the special task force (STF) of Madhya Pradesh police.

The court directive came after advocate general Ravish Agrawal furnished a letter by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh to the resident commissioner of Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi informing him about the visit of SIT chairman justice (retd) Chandresh Bhushan.

From the letter it appeared the SIT intended to take on certain investigations which STF was supposed to carry out, Kaurav said.

Taking serious note of Singh’s letter, the bench said that the work of SIT was to monitor the investigations by the STF into the scam.

During the hearing, STF informed the court that action was being taken to cancel bail granted to as many as 23 accused by lower courts which were not entitled to hear bail applications of the accused.

HC directed the registrar general to look into the matter of courts granting bail without powers.

The scam in the PEB saw candidates for various education courses and government jobs rig exams with the help of scamsters who arranged imposters to write answer sheets, supplied forged answer sheets and even manipulate seating arrangements.

The Congress has of late stepped up its ante against the ruling BJP and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accusing him and his family-members of complicity in the examination and recruitment scam.

Chouhan, a three-time chief minister, has denied any wrongdoing.

The special task force recently named governor Ramnaresh Yadav in one of the scam cases but he has refused to step down so far.